Chief Iwuanyanwu
OpenLife Nigeria reports that in what seems an end to the crises that have engulfed Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos, Chief Ezeh Christopher Anyaegbunam, deputy secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos has hailed the President General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo World Wide, Chief, Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu, CFR, OFR, MFR, for inviting Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos to a meeting in Owerri for a peace talk which is the first step in total reconciliation.
He reflected on the development in this exclusive interview
Chief, we have information that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu invited Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos for a meeting in Owerri. As an insider, what was the meeting about?
Yes, we are aware of the meeting and it was a right step in the right direction.
Immediately Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu invited Chief Solomon Ogbonna to the meeting in Owerri, Imo State, Chief Solomon called a meeting of all the 20 Ohanaeze Ndigbo local government chairmen and 37 LCDA chairmen in Lagos for a meeting on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.
The meeting was well-attended. They were all present including myself, the secretary.
Chief Solomon briefed us about the invitation to Owerri and we all encouraged him to attend.
With that step, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has shown leadership qualities irrespective of all the gang up and lies including a campaign of calumny against Chief Solomon.
The truth is that it is difficult to defeat a man with natural wisdom and native intelligence in leadership.
Before now, it was Chief Solomon who said that it was the turn of Rivers State to occupy the position of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World Wide in January 2025.
But he also said that if we are not able to get a capable hand in Rivers State who has the interest of Ndigbo in his heart, then Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu should be supported to continue in office.
Chief Solomon also pointed out that about 95 percent of Rivers State people always deny themselves of being Igbos.
At the moment, Chief Solomon still stands with the position that Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu should continue in office with his executives if there is no capable hand in Rivers State.
But of course, Chief Solomon is right. He is a man of truth.
Rivers State people who are Igbos only remember that they are Igbos when it is time for them to fight other tribes.
That is when they would remember that they are Igbos and you will begin to see them in red caps.
It was only Chief Solomon that could make such a statement of fact.
No other person would summon such fearless courage to say such truth in a publication that the whole world will read and digest.
That is why any media publication about Ohanaeze, once his name is mentioned, enemies will tag it that he is the one speaking.
For instance, he is not even aware of this interview I am granting you. These are part of his enemies’ instruments to accuse him unnecessarily.
Chief Solomon has made a lot of personal sacrifices in Lagos Ohanaeze and nobody can downplay it.
It is now that Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu will see the loyalty of Ndigbo in Lagos by knowing that Chief Solomon has contacts both small and big which many people don’t have.
Those who have been pestering around Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu claiming to have contacts, it was Chief Solomon who introduced them to those contacts.
Above all, who introduces you to any contact in life matters. Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene is a billionaire.
I, Chief Ezeh Christopher Anyaegbunam, deputy secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos, have known him for over 20 years.
I have also been the secretary of his foundation, Aguene Art Foundation for 17 years.
Another person who knows Chief Solomon very well is Mr. Nwagwu Chijioke Richard who hails from Imo State.
He has been his driver since 1988 till date. Chief Solomon Ogbonna is an honest person.
If Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu works with Chief Solomon Aguene in just a few months, the president General worldwide will see who has the contacts and capacity of leadership of Ndigbo in Lagos.
What Chief Solomon has done in Lagos Ohanaeze Ndigbo, I wonder if we will be able to get such a quality leader in the next 20 years.
Chief Solomon has the capacity, contacts, and everything you can think of in leadership but because of the way he jokes sometimes, people take him for granted but when you fall into his trap, you will know that he has other sides.
My brother, I am the deputy secretary and I am close to him. Therefore, I know what I am talking about.
This is not about politics.
As I earlier said, Chief Solomon is a billionaire. He doesn’t need anybody’s money before he acts in any situation.
That is why he is always very bold to talk to anyone who is going wrong, Those who don’t know him well think that he is making money from Ohanaeze leadership whereas over 70 percent of the expense of Ohanaeze is from his pocket.
In no distant time, you will realize that those who have been ganging up and telling lies to Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu will begin to be ashamed of themselves.
Do you know his title in Lagos state given to him by the Igbo community? Ekperechukwu Zara Ndigbo, na Lagos, meaning God’s giving to Ndigbo in Lagos.
For me, I believe any time a man wakes up from sleep is his morning.
With this meeting in Owerri, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has started his best time in Lagos as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World Wide.
It is a demonstration of Chief Iwuanyanwu’s confidence in Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene.
I am very sure that Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu is tired of all the lies they have been telling him without any positive result.
I can assure you that with Chief Iwuanyanwu working with Chief Solomon, Ndigbo will move forward in Lagos.
Do you know that the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is Chief Solomon’s personal friend? So, if you don’t carry him along in any Ohanaeze Ndigbo matter, they will not listen to you. including the party.
What Ndigbo needs now is unity and Chief Solomon will play a vital role in bringing that unity to Ndigbo in Lagos.
Before some of these Ndigbo ganged up and began to fight Chief Solomon’s leadership, did you hear or see any major Igbo market shut down one day or demolishing houses and markets and tagging them as illegal structures?
The answer is no.
Ndigbo, we cannot call ourselves wise people and on the other side of politics, we begin to play a game of the most foolish.
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